Young Frankenstein
I'm very much a fan of the Mel Brooks film, but I've always thought that one of the flaws with Young Frankenstein The Motion Picture was its sluggish pacing. The deliberate movements and speech of characters are all too often drug out far longer than I think would be sensible for comedic timing, such as the creeping pace that Dr. Frankenstein and Inga take as they investigate the origin of the music behind the bookcase, or the overly exaggerated interchange between Frau Blücher and Dr. Frankenstein as he peruses his grandfather's books. Such flaws can kill a film; I think that Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West is an unwatchable bore for precisely this reason.
When I learned, therefore, that Young Frankenstein The Musical would be enjoying a run at the Benedum Center this past week, my interest was piqued at least insofar as I thought that a stage musical could easily improve on that great flaw of the otherwise great film. At first I did not intend to go, but I find it hard to pass up a good opportunity such as this. Last night, then, entering with mixed expectations, I did attend the evening performance of Young Frankenstein.
The verdict: excellent.
Brooks' musical largely remains faithful to the screenplay co-written with Gene Wilder. The principle differences between the film and the musical are of course the songs; where the stage version otherwise deviates from the film consists only of minor changes that simplify the adaptation to the stage. For example, in the beginning of the film, Dr. Frankenstein demonstrates the difference between voluntary and involuntary reflexes with a random volunteer plucked from the hospital; in the musical, Dr. Frankenstein "volunteers" the pesty student who continually prods him about his grandfather's work. Likewise, at the end of the film, the Monster reveals his latent humanity in the depths of Frankenstein's lab, while in the stage musical he confronts the townspeople at what is supposed to be Frankenstein's public execution.
All the critical points from the film remain intact, from the professor's introduction to Igor to the effect of the brain transferrence on Dr. Frankenstein and everything in between. Through it all, the musical is considerably more risque than the film: Elizabeth's farewell song before Frederick sets sail becomes rather provocative, as does Inga's roll in the hay, and Dr. Frankenstein lets loose a couple "fuck's" with perfect comedic timing.
Also receiving an upgrade from the film, as is to be expected, is the classic duet between Dr. Frankenstein and The Monster, "Puttin' on the Ritz." Naturally, this is by far the biggest song and dance number in the production, and it is simply fantastic; the synchronized tap-dance of the ensemble was especially notable.
Incidentally, "Puttin' on the Ritz" also marks one of the few points in the stage production that I think could have been handled much better. The entirety of the musical makes extensive use of strobe lights, often to create the effect of lightning. They are used likewise during "Puttin' on the Ritz" to cast the dancing ensemble in shadow, which worked very well. The problem is that after the song was complete, the strobes suddenly startled The Monster, provoking him to abduct Elizabeth and run wild once more. The film makes it very clear that what set the Monster on edge at this point were the phosphorous flashes of the photographers in the theater; however, if anyone in the musical's audience were not familiar with the film, it would have appeared that the Monster went on a rampage at random and without provocation. And what makes this somewhat irritating is that the solution is obvious: all that would have been required would be for three or four of the ensemble to appear onstage bearing cameras and costumes appropriate to members of the press.
The other part of the story that I feel suffers in the stage production is the game of charades that Dr. Frankenstein frantically plays with Igor, Inga, and Frau Blücher when the Monster first awakens. The problem is simple and the solution is readily apparent: this scene was rushed in the stage production such that the nature of Frankenstein's gesticulations and his assistants' yelling became a garbled malaise above which only a few key words of the exchange could be understood. Once again, if members of the audience were not familiar with the film, I'm not so sure that it would have been clear what was happening onstage.
Regardless of these couple flaws, however, Young Frankenstein The Musical is simply wonderful. Performer James Gray, in the role of Igor, was especially notable in his versatile performance that required a great deal of movement in the specific gait the hunchback exhibits. It goes without saying, though, that the entire cast was marvelous.
And, yes, the issue of the film's often sluggish timing was remedied in the live performance.
Put simply: if you have the chance to see Young Frankenstein live, I highly recommend it.
When I learned, therefore, that Young Frankenstein The Musical would be enjoying a run at the Benedum Center this past week, my interest was piqued at least insofar as I thought that a stage musical could easily improve on that great flaw of the otherwise great film. At first I did not intend to go, but I find it hard to pass up a good opportunity such as this. Last night, then, entering with mixed expectations, I did attend the evening performance of Young Frankenstein.
The verdict: excellent.
Brooks' musical largely remains faithful to the screenplay co-written with Gene Wilder. The principle differences between the film and the musical are of course the songs; where the stage version otherwise deviates from the film consists only of minor changes that simplify the adaptation to the stage. For example, in the beginning of the film, Dr. Frankenstein demonstrates the difference between voluntary and involuntary reflexes with a random volunteer plucked from the hospital; in the musical, Dr. Frankenstein "volunteers" the pesty student who continually prods him about his grandfather's work. Likewise, at the end of the film, the Monster reveals his latent humanity in the depths of Frankenstein's lab, while in the stage musical he confronts the townspeople at what is supposed to be Frankenstein's public execution.
All the critical points from the film remain intact, from the professor's introduction to Igor to the effect of the brain transferrence on Dr. Frankenstein and everything in between. Through it all, the musical is considerably more risque than the film: Elizabeth's farewell song before Frederick sets sail becomes rather provocative, as does Inga's roll in the hay, and Dr. Frankenstein lets loose a couple "fuck's" with perfect comedic timing.
Also receiving an upgrade from the film, as is to be expected, is the classic duet between Dr. Frankenstein and The Monster, "Puttin' on the Ritz." Naturally, this is by far the biggest song and dance number in the production, and it is simply fantastic; the synchronized tap-dance of the ensemble was especially notable.
Incidentally, "Puttin' on the Ritz" also marks one of the few points in the stage production that I think could have been handled much better. The entirety of the musical makes extensive use of strobe lights, often to create the effect of lightning. They are used likewise during "Puttin' on the Ritz" to cast the dancing ensemble in shadow, which worked very well. The problem is that after the song was complete, the strobes suddenly startled The Monster, provoking him to abduct Elizabeth and run wild once more. The film makes it very clear that what set the Monster on edge at this point were the phosphorous flashes of the photographers in the theater; however, if anyone in the musical's audience were not familiar with the film, it would have appeared that the Monster went on a rampage at random and without provocation. And what makes this somewhat irritating is that the solution is obvious: all that would have been required would be for three or four of the ensemble to appear onstage bearing cameras and costumes appropriate to members of the press.
The other part of the story that I feel suffers in the stage production is the game of charades that Dr. Frankenstein frantically plays with Igor, Inga, and Frau Blücher when the Monster first awakens. The problem is simple and the solution is readily apparent: this scene was rushed in the stage production such that the nature of Frankenstein's gesticulations and his assistants' yelling became a garbled malaise above which only a few key words of the exchange could be understood. Once again, if members of the audience were not familiar with the film, I'm not so sure that it would have been clear what was happening onstage.
Regardless of these couple flaws, however, Young Frankenstein The Musical is simply wonderful. Performer James Gray, in the role of Igor, was especially notable in his versatile performance that required a great deal of movement in the specific gait the hunchback exhibits. It goes without saying, though, that the entire cast was marvelous.
And, yes, the issue of the film's often sluggish timing was remedied in the live performance.
Put simply: if you have the chance to see Young Frankenstein live, I highly recommend it.